As the weather turns colder and the days get shorter, Durham turns the page to what is sure to be an exciting winter of sports in the Bull City.
Read below to see all of the action-packed competition you won’t want to miss out on in Durham this winter.
NCCU Athletics
NCCU Men’s Basketball
NCCU Men’s basketball is coming off of an 14-19 season that saw them advance to the MEAC semifinals. The Eagles are coached by the legendary LeVelle Moton. In October, Moton was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society, which is considered to be North Carolina’s highest civilian honor since it was created in 1963. In 2023, Moton became the winningest coach in program history. This season, the Eagles enter projected to finish third in the MEAC preseason poll.
The Eagles program has a strong history that includes winning the NCAA Division II National Championship in 1989. Since becoming a Division I program in 2011, NCCU has made four NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently making it three consecutive years from 2017-2019.
The Eagles first of 13 home games at McDougald-McClendon Arena this season is on Wednesday, November 12 against Bluefield State.
Check out their full schedule here >
NCCU Women’s Basketball
NCCU women’s basketball is coming off a 9-21 season, where they played a demanding non-conference schedule consisting of top-ranked ACC and SEC teams. Head Coach Terrence Baxter enters his third season as the Eagles coach looking to build on the previous two seasons at the helm. NCCU’s own Morgan Callahan was named the 2025-26 MEAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year.
The Eagles are projected to finish fourth in the MEAC preseason poll. Their first of14 home games at McDougald-McClendon Arena this season is on Friday, November 7 against UNC Wilmington.
Check out their full schedule here>
Indoor Track and Field
The NCCU men’s and women’s Indoor Track & Field team is coming off a 2024-2025 season that saw them finish with five medals at the MEAC Championships, including two golds, three silvers and one bronze. This was the first time in school history that the Women’s Team finished 3rd in the MEAC Championships.
Check back for more information on their 2025-2026 schedule.
While you’re cheering on NCCU athletics this fall, you will want to explore the campus and learn more about NCCU and its robust history. Check out all of the best places to explore, eat and drink with this Discover Durham guide to NCCU and Fayetteville Street.
Duke Athletics
Men’s Basketball
After advancing to the Final Four last year, the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team enters the 2025-2026 season looking to make another deep NCAA Tournament run. The Blue Devils are led by Jon Scheyer, who is entering his fourth season as head coach. This year, the roster includes NBA prospects such as Isaiah Evans and Cameron Boozer. Duke was ranked first in the preseason ACC poll and sixth in the preseason AP Poll.
The Blue Devils will open their season against Western Carolina on Saturday, November 8. While tickets for Duke men’s basketball games can be hard to get, make sure to keep your eye s games around the holidays for the best chance to see the team in action.
Check out their full schedule here >
Women’s Basketball
Duke women’s basketball advanced to the Elite 8 in 2024-2025 for the first time since the 2017-2018 season. Head Coach Kara Lawson enters the 2025-2026 season looking to continue what has been a steady improvement in her first three full years. Lawson also was named head coach of the USA National Women’s Basketball team.
The Blue Devils enter the season ranked third in the pre-season ACC poll and eleventh in the preseason AP Poll. Make your way to Cameron Indoor Stadium to see what should be one of the top women’s basketball teams in the country this year right here in the Bull City.
Duke will begin their season at home against Holy Cross on Sunday, November 9.
Check out their full schedule here >
Fencing
The Duke men’s and women’s fencing teams are led by Omar Elgeziry, who is entering his third season as the head coach. Last year, the men’s team finished 3rd and the women’s team finished 2nd in the ACC Championships. The team advanced to play in the NCAA Championship where they finished 12th overall, including one top-10 finisher on the women’s side. The Blue Devils’ home match during the 2025-2026 season is the Beguinet Classic, which will be hosted at Card Gym on Duke’s Campus.
Looking ahead, the NCAA announced that Duke University, in conjunction with the Durham Sports Commission, was selected to host the 2027 NCAA Fencing National Championships.
Check out the full Duke fencing schedule here >
Indoor Track & Field
The Duke men’s and women’s indoor track and field team is coming off a 2024-2025 season that saw them win six medals at the ACC Indoor Championships and 15 athletes receive All-ACC honors. The Duke’s women’s 4x400m relay team brought a record-breaking time of 3:31.88 at the ACC Indoor Championships as well.
While the Duke indoor track and field team does not have any matches in Durham this winter, make sure to follow along with their season here.
Wrestling
Duke wrestling, led by Head Coach Glen Lanham, will look to have a bounce back 2025-2026 season. The Blue Devils will host a total of six matches in Durham, with the majority being held at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
When you’re supporting Duke Athletics this winter make the most of your game day experience by checking out some of the campus staples, like Sarah P. Duke Gardens, the Nasher Museum of Art and the Duke Basketball Museum and Hall of Fame. You can also grab a bite to eat at Dain’s Place or Cosmic Cantina, amongst the other numerous delicious restaurants in the Ninth Street area. If you’re looking for a place to stay near campus, look no further than the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, JB Duke Hotel or Lodge at Duke Medical Center.
Check out the Discover Durham Guide to Ninth Street and Duke University for more information on must-see spots on Duke’s campus, delicious spots to grab a bite, where to stay and more.
High School Athletics
Durham Public Schools have a total of six different schools competing across five different sports, which include basketball, cheer, indoor track and field, swimming and wrestling. The six schools – Hillside, Jordan, Northern, Southern, Durham School of the Arts and Riverside – compete in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA), and their seasons run from late August to early November.
In addition, Durham Academy and Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill compete in the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA).
Make sure to get out and support our local high school athletes in Durham this winter! Visit the DPS athletic calendar and NCISAA athletic calendar to check out when they play in Durham.
DSC Events
In addition to all of the school athletics this winter, the DSC is excited to host the follwoing marquee events in the Bull City this winter.
CIAA Football Championship
The CIAA Football Championship is coming back to Durham for the first time since 2016! The event will be held at Durham County Memorial Stadium on November 15th at 3 pm with the two top teams in the CIAA.
Check out the CIAA Football Championship webpage for more information and get your tickets today >
NCAA D1 Field Hockey National Championships
For the first time, Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium (Duke University) will be hosting the NCAA D1 Field Hockey National Championship. The two semifinals games will be played on Friday, November 21, with the winners advancing to the National Championship on Sunday, November 23.
Experience Championship Weekend >
NCHSAA Football State Championships
From 2022-2025, The North Carolina High School Athletics Association has brought many of their championships to Durham over the years. From 2022-2025, the NCHSAA Lacrosse and Softball Championships were held in Durham, bringing in teams from across the state. This year the NCHSAA will add their Football State Championships to Durham on December 11th-13th at Durham County Memorial Stadium.
Girls High School Flag Football State Championships
The North Carolina High School Women’s Flag Football State Championship will take place on November 22nd at Durham County Memorial Stadium. The DSC is proud to be at the forefront of this emerging sport.
Stay up to date with all sporting events in Durham by checking out our event calendar, following us @durhamncsports across all social platforms and subscribing to our email newsletter.